The One Mistake I Don't Regret
by Storyguy567
Summary: Tyler betrayed Caroline. Carline in turn went to Klaus. Klaus hurt her. Caroline left Mystic falls. After being gone for more than a year she comes back. Klaus want a chance to get close to her, but she refuses to let him in. Why? Read to find out and Review! Klaroline/Carolaus, Stelena, Mattbekah, Dapril and others. M for language and suggestive themes and situations. REVIEW!
1. Liam

**Hello. This story has been bugging me. And now I'm finally writing it! YAY!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own _The Vampire Diaries_. No matter how bad I want to, it just seems like it ain't happening. But I do own this plot so yay!**

**P.S. I'm a review addict. So please review or I won't write. REVIEW!**

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**The One Mistake I Don't Regret**

**1: Liam**

Caroline Forbes stormed down the street. Her blue eyes were filled with tears, and her rosy cheeks wore the stains of said tears. Her thoughts were nothing but a raging mess of rage and heartache. How could Tyler do that to her? She gave him no reason to. She was, and not just her saying it but many people, the perfect girlfriend.

* * *

_Caroline walked through the halls of the Lockwood Estate. She was hoping to finally get some much needed time with her hybrid boyfriend._

_The mansion was empty. Carol was out, but Caroline new Tyler was home. She quickly made her way to his bedroom. She was so excited to be just her and Tyler for a while. She opened the door…_

_A scream of horror shook the house._

_There was Tyler…mounting that werewolf girl, Hayley. But of them in varying states of undress and in the throes of passion and lust when Caroline came in._

_Caroline's eyes immediately began to tear. Tyler jumped off of Hayley and ran to Caroline._

"_Car-" he began only to be cut off by the Forbes girl. _

"_Save your excuses Tyler Lockwood!" She exclaimed as a sob wracked her body. "We're done!" She stood up as best she could, leaning against the wall. "Don't speak to me! Don't call me! Don't come near me!"_

"_Caroline please!"_

_It seemed as though her tears were multiplied. "I want nothing more to do with you!" She gasped and sobbed as she turned and stormed out of his house._

* * *

Carlone walked into the Mystic grill and sat at the bar. Matt Donovan looked at her and frowned.

"Care?" He asked. "What happened?"

"Black Coffee!" She placed her head in her hands. "Now!" Matt only nodded and complied with her order, pouring her a cup of hot black coffee.

Caroline grabbed the cup shakily. She had stopped crying, but the sobs still wracked her body. She drank gulps of the scalding black liquid at a time. The burn, she felt, easing her sadness.

"Are you still heartbroken over the Lockwood boy?" A familiar, accented voice asked.

"Don't toy with me Klaus!" Caroline snarled not needing to turn around. She'd know that voice anywhere. "I'm in no mood!"

Klaus took the seat beside her. "Lockwood has been seeing the werewolf for some time." He said bluntly. "Don't you think it's time to movie on Love?" He asked.

Caroline groaned. The sadness was fading and becoming anger. She was so mad now. She hated the nickname.

"What do you mean?" Caroline asked. Tyler, Hayley, and Caroline had had a plan. Pretend for Caroline and Tyler to break up, have Caroline distract Klaus, and Tyler and Hayley could help the hybrids break their sire bonds to Klaus. But at this point, she didn't give a rat's (or a wolf's) ass about the plan.

Klaus looked at her but she answered her own question. "Tyler and I never broke up!" Klaus could her venom of bitterness infecting her tone. "It was a ploy." She turned to look at him. "They wanted me to distract you so they could break the sire bond of you hybrids. "

Klaus saw red. How dare that little whelp. And it wasn't the hybrids. Well it was. But that didn't bother him as much. No. What infuriated him was that the Lockwood would use his hand girlfriend to seduce and distract him. Really!? What sort of dick uses women like that? Klaus admitted (only to himself) that he was a dick, yes, but at least he had the decency to act like a gentleman…sometimes.

"If you're going to kill me," Caroline's voice pulled him out of his thoughts, "I'd request you make it quick."

"Now…" Klaus began, "why would I do that?" It was a serious question. Caroline Forbes intrigued him in a way no woman, save one, was ever able to in his more than 1000 years of existence…and the only other was Tatia Petrova, so he hadn't felt like this in a while.

Caroline looked at him. Skepticism etched on her face. "You're kidding right?" She answered his question with a question of her own. "You're not going to kill me for deceiving you, and aiding in destroying the one thing that kept your hybrid army loyal to you?"

Klaus grinned. "Actually, Love, you're far more interesting alive."

Caroline scoffed and downed the rest of her coffee. "Well…that's different!"

"What?"

"You showing mercy." Caroline sighed. Yes she was being hard on Klaus, but if she was honest with herself, she did always kind of hold a soft spot for the original hybrid.

"So," Klaus changed the subject, "if you and Tyler never broke up, why are you here drowning your misery in coffee."

Caroline snarled as her hand tightened on the now empty coffee cup, crack appearing in the porcerleain due to her vampiric strength. "I caught him mounting that bitch Hayley!"

Klaus' eyes widened. Now that was definitely no way to treat a lady. When he decided to punish Tyler and Hayley for freeing his hybrids, and he would punish them, he would make sure to increase their suffering because of the broken girl sitting next to him.

"Just once!" Caroline exclaimed. "I would like the ability to feel something without the risk of getting hurt. I'd like to release all my emotions onto someone and know they're not gonna have a hold on my heart."

"Love," Klaus began, "what you're describing, is a one-night stand."

Caroline immediately blushed at Klaus' statement. But…the more she thought about it, the more she liked the idea.

That settled it. Caroline was going to have a one night stand!

But with who? I mean, despite Mystic Falls being a small town, it was filled with amazingly hot men. She needed someone that she knew (preferably), and she wanted someone who Tyler would absolutely despise before and after Caroline slept with them. Two people came to mind:

Damon Salvatore. NO! Caroline shot that down. She and Damon were close. Besides, he had that thing going on with Elena.

And the other one was none other than the person consoling her. Niklaus Mikaelson. She said so herself, Klaus did have a soft spot in her heart. Tyler absolutely loathed him. And, Caroline could tell the attraction was mutual.

"Maybe you're right Klaus?" She said looking at him.

Klaus raised a confused eyebrow. "Maybe I need a one night stand."

Klaus let out his dark and incredibly sexy chuckle. "I said you were describing a one night stand love, not that you needed one."

Caroline's turn to play mind games. "Au contraire." She giggled. "I told you what I wanted. And you told me what I was describing."

Klaus leaned forward a dark smirk on his face. "Twisting my own words to bend the conversation in your favor…touché."

Caroline leaned forward. She was running purely on emotion now. She was very impulsive when running on emotion alone. "Glad you approve." She said before launching herself at Klaus, her lips attacking his in a rough lustful kiss.

A part of Klaus wanted to object, but a larger part of him *ultimately the part that won) wanted to give in and give Caroline what she was seeking. He managed to rip off Caroline. "Let's say we go back to my place?" He grinned. Caroline smirked in response and paid for her coffee before following Klaus to his house.

* * *

Once inside, all bets were off. Hands clawed at flesh, tearing shirts in the process. Bodies were pressed, pushed, and slammed into walls. Lips violently collided against each other as Klaus and Caroline rampaged through the house. By the time they reached the door to his room, Klaus' jacket was off and his shirt was ripped to shreds and Caroline was stripped of her shirt, showing her black bra. Klaus pushed Caroline against his door, kissing her with a dark passion. As their lips battled, one of Caroline's hands reached for the door knob as the other reached down to unbuckle his belt. Both hands succeeded in their tasks, and Caroline grabbed Klaus by his belt and dragged him into his room.

Klaus shut the door behind him. The two didn't leave for the rest of the day.

* * *

Caroline rubbed her eyes tiredly as she slowly regained consciousness. She had begun to stretch when she felt something heavy on/beside her. She looked to her side to Klaus' naked torso with his arm draped on her. The events of last night came flooding back. She had slept with Klaus….and for all the wrong reasons. But, she enjoyed it.

Klaus silently came to when he felt a weight shift and move beside him. His eyes were still closed. He had slept with Caroline. And as much as he enjoyed it, and he enjoyed it a lot, it had been for all the wrong reasons.

She was heartbroken.

She was cheated on.

She wanted to get back at Tyler.

Tyler hates him.

"This was a mistake." Klaus mumbled.

Caroline turned to him. "What?"

He repeated himself. "This was a mistake. We shouldn't have done this."

Caroline nodded. Not again. She thought Klaus wouldn't hurt her. She wouldn't be weak this time.

"You're right." She responded in an emotionless monotone. She stood up from the bed, Klaus' sinful red silk sheet wrapped around her just as sinful naked body. She scoured the room, getting her clothes together before vanishing into the bathroom.

Klaus hated himself. She tried to hide it, but he saw the pain. Pain he caused when he said their night was a mistake.

The door opened, and Caroline stepped out.

"Caroline." Klaus began, but didn't get the chance to finish. The vampires left his room, slamming the door shut behind her.

* * *

Caroline once again found herself storming through the streets of Mystic Falls. Again this happened to her. She never thought Klaus would hurt her.

But he did. And that was the last straw.

Caroline had always had plans to travel. See the world. Now, she felt she had no choice. She knew she couldn't stay in Mystic Falls. There were so many things that reminded her of her broken heart. And she couldn't risk running into Tyler or Klaus. The wounds would always reopen no matter how old.

Within six weeks, Caroline Forbes had completely vanished from Mystic Falls.

That was more than 17 months ago. A year and five months, but it always felt longer. Now and again, her thoughts went back to those fateful two days…but never for long. She was always too busy to stay focused on that memory.

Caroline had moved to Maine. There was just something she loved about it. A new start wasn't easy though. Caroline started by working odd jobs. She had lived in a shelter for a while. She took up three jobs back to back. A waitress to a diner. A sales lady in a retail store. And a maid for a hotel. Actually, it was a part of the hotel staff that helped her become the woman she is today.

In the short period of time that is 17 months, Caroline had established herself as the party planner. Be it weddings, birthdays, galas, etc. Caroline dropped a suggestion here and there. Her advice was popular and had gotten her promoted to head event coordinator. There was where Caroline found her calling.

She started her own company as a party planner. It actually paid really well. People came in and gave her all the details of the party and the budget they were on. Caroline, being a perfectionist and having an eye for parties got the most out of the budget, with some left over. People offered to pay her a fortune, but she was modest.

After some time, Caroline bought an out of business car lot and had a remodeled as a rental space for events. That way, she could use this space for events as she wished rather than pay to rent a space.

* * *

She stood in front of her apartment window looking out to the town and then to the sea.

There was a knock at the door. Using her vampire speed, Caroline flash stepped to the door and opened it. A set of arms enveloped her in a hug.

"Caroline!" Elena squeaked.

Shocked, Caroline managed to squeeze out of the hug and step back. "Elena! Stefan! Come in." She welcomed them. "How did you know I was here?" She asked.

Stefan looked to her. "Actually we didn't."

Elena smiled and sat on Caroline's couch. "You see, Stefan and I decided to travel the world." She said.

Caroline smiled. "That's great."

Stefan looked around her apartment. Caroline's eyes darted to the back, hoping he didn't dare go near her bedroom. Stefan looked at Caroline. "Anyway, Elena and I thought we'd start our world expedition with the states. We were traveling through, exploring Maine when we saw a billboard for your party planning service.

Caroline giggled and shook her head. That damn billboard add. She wore a black suit and a cheesy smile. She looked like a fucking realtor.

Stefan kept going. "The address on the billboard led to your office where we…well Elena actually," he got a slap on the arm from said girl, "compelled your secretary to give us your address…and here we are."

Caroline looked at Elena. "You compelled someone?"

"Don't act so shocked." Elena giggled as Stefan sat beside her.

"Sorry Lena," she said, "it's just, last time I saw you, you were more of a reluctant vampire."

"17 months is enough to change a person." Elena said bluntly.

"Point taken. So what's up?" She asked.

"Caroline," Elena began, "if there anyway we can convince you to return to Mystic Falls. Everyone misses you."

"Even Damon which is a surprise." Damon cut in, receiving a glare from Elena.

Caroline took a deep calming breath and looked to her bedroom again. "I'm sorry I can't."

"But why not?" Elena asked standing.

"If you had asked me a long time ago, I would've have come back."

"Why not now?" Elena asked.

"You said it yourself Elena." Caroline responded sternly. "17 months changes a person."

"Caroline." Stefan asked, trying to be more subtle than his girlfriend. "What could have possibly changed so much that would keep you out of Mystic Falls? Away from the people you love?"

And then they all three heard it. A high pitched wail. Caroling frowned and looked at the shocked expressions on Stefan's and Elena's faces before vanishing to her room. When she came out, Caroline was carrying a bundled up blue blanket. Inside the bundle was an infant boy with gray eyes and faint sandy/ dirty blonde hair.

"Stefan, Elena," Caroline began, really wishing that her secret wouldn't have come out this early, "this is Liam…" She paused to take a deep breath. "…Liam is my son."

Stefan and Elena were still shocked. A son? A baby? What happened?

"Caroline?"

"Yes Elena?" Caroline asked , cooing to the baby in her arms.

"Why _exactly_ can't you go back to Mystic Falls?" She asked, stressing the word "exactly."

"Nothing gets by you Elena." Caroline replied with a defeated smile on her face. "Liam is my son…"

She turned to look at Elena and Stefan. All light vanished from her face. All happiness gone. Her expression was totally serious. More serious than either had ever seen her.

"…and Klaus is his father."

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**So that's the first chapter. What did you think? Review. When I was writing this, I forgot about the little snag that vampires (in the series anyway) can't have children. But I will try to make up an explanation.**

**REVIEW!**


	2. Homecoming

**Hello. Now that I've got this story out, I want to keep writing it. I'm so glad you're all liking it!**

**I'm going to try and explain how Caroline was able to have a baby in this chapter.  
**

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**One of the reviewers felt 17 months was too short of a time period for Caroline to be gone.. Yes, it most likely is, but I want Liam to be a baby.  
**

**Disclaimer: I don't own _The Vampire Diaries_. No matter how bad I want to, it just seems like it ain't happening. But I do own this plot so yay!**

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**P.S. I'm a review addict. So please review or I won't write. REVIEW! I'm serious on that. Review or I will stop writing.  
**

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**The One Mistake I Don't Regret**

**2: Homecoming**

Klaus looked down at the picture again. He was by no means a sentimental man…er hybrid, but this picture was special to him.

It was a picture of Caroline. It was more than a year ago that Caroline vanished. The day after their last…transaction.

He couldn't help but feel it was his fault. His words to her echoed within the depths of his mind.

_This was a mistake. We shouldn't have done this._

He knew he regretted his words. He knew he had unintentionally hurt Caroline more than she already was. But that wasn't what he meant in that it was a mistake. He meant that she was heartbroken and acting on impulse, and them being together in her emotional state wasn't the best idea. When he tried to explain to her, she stormed out, leaving Klaus to his musings.

He should have run after her and admitted he was at fault…but alas he was prideful. And, despite wanting to fix things, he knew he had bigger fish to fry.

Caroline did reveal to him that Tyler and that wolf bitch…what was her name…Hayley were trying to get Klaus' hybrids to break their sire bond. He dealt with that problem immediately.

* * *

_Klaus followed Tyler's scent to the barn out in the woods. He stepped up close to the rickety old building. He could hear growling and wails of pain. Followed by the familiar voice of Lockwood._

"_You're so close!" He encouraged. "Keep it up and you'll be free of Klaus."_

_Klaus smirked and decided to make an ironic entrance. "Is that so?" He announced himself as he walked into the barn._

_Both Tyler and Hayley turned to him, looks of shock present upon their faces. Hayley even gasped. The two ran at him, snarling but they were no match for the original hybrid. He grabbed both of them by their necks and lifted them off the ground._

"_I'm very displeased with you Tyler." Klaus smirked as if he had achieved some great victory. "Then again, I find myself displeased with you a lot lately." That was the only hint he dropped about Caroline._

"_H-how," he gasped, clutching onto Klaus' wrist, "how did you know?"_

_Klaus remembered Caroline. How hurt she had been yesterday. He growled lowly. "Caroline told me."_

_Tyler's eyes widened in a combination of surprise and horror. "N-no!" He gasped. She wouldn't._

_He saw the utter betrayal in Tyler's eyes. Time to drive the nail in deeper. "Ah, but she did." He smirked. "Apparently she was so heartbroken to catch you and this one fornicating that she decided not to be your little pawn." He shrugged. "And she told me everything."_

"_YOU LIAR!" Tyler howled. Klaus glared. He didn't like it when people spoke to him out of line. But it was fun to watch the Lockwood crumble. He tightened his grip around both their throats._

"_Watch your tongue or I'll rip it out." He growled. "And I speak the truth. I found Caroline at the grill, drowning her sorrows. She told me everything…" the killing blow, "before she dragged me out of there begging me to fuck her senseless. Which, of course, I complied."_

_His reaction was so worth it to Klaus. He snarled and writhed. "You fucking bastard! I swear to god I will kill you!"_

_Klaus pulled him in close. "I would for you to try!" He invited. "But now that I'm onto your little scheme, you can't use my hybrids!"_

_Klaus hurled Tyler and Hayley across the barn and released the hybrid from his bonds. "Go back to the mansion!" Klaus ordered. He gave a nod and ran out of the barn._

_Klaus turned to leave. He stopped at the entrance, and turned to the Tyler. "…and stay away from Caroline from now on."_

* * *

God it felt good doing that to the man who hurt Caroline. _HIS _Caroline.

_No. Not mine. Where did that come form? She isn't mine._

Next on his list was apologizing to Caroline…yes, captain ice heart was going to apologize. Or so he thought. Caroline wanted nothing to do with him…and refused to let him in. He backed off, giving her the space she so obviously requested, but he didn't give up. Until six weeks after that day.

The day that Caroline Forbes had vanished from Mystic Falls. Except for her mother, no trace of Caroline was in the Falls. He searched everywhere. She wasn't at the school, the grill, the woods, the bridge… nowhere. Finally after endless searching, Liz told him she had left Mystic Falls. Just like that, she was gone. She hadn't told anyone, not even her mother, where she was going. He had no clue where she was.

He didn't like to think so, but Caroline's vanishing had a profound effect on him. He was colder, less merciful. He became crueler. Deep down, he knew why. Each day that passed, was a day she wasn't there. And as the days went on, it became more and more clear that she was never going to come back.

Yet…why was there this part of him telling him not to give up. A part of him that held onto that foolish hope.

Alone, in his room, the last place he saw Caroline, he grabbed the nearest object he could, a desk lamp and hurled it at the wall with all his strength. Needless to say, it shattered, littering his room with bits of porcelain. He had no reason too. Every time his thoughts drifted to Caroline, he usually found himself in a fit of rage destroying something. He wasn't mad at her, but at himself for letting her get away so easily. He didn't care though.

…he just needed to see Caroline again.

* * *

"How could you have a son?" Elena asked shocked.

"Well…" Caroline began, shifting Liam in her arms, "one day, I found Tyler cheating on me." She sounded so casual, like it was an everyday occurrence, but it elicited a gasp from Elena. "Of course I was heartbroken. Tyler was my whole world, and he shattered that reality for me.

"So I found myself at the grill…and Klaus was there. He consoled me, trying to make me feel better. But I was hurt, and mad and sad. So…I kind of came onto Klaus." She admitted.

Elena raised an eyebrow. "And by kind of…"

"I jumped him in the middle of the grill." Caroline blushed. "I just wanted to feel an intimate closeness, and Klaus was there to give me it. We managed to get to his house, and then-"

"And then you slept with Klaus." Stefan finished.

Caroline nodded. "The morning after, Klaus said what happened…what we did was a mistake." She found herself getting misty-eyed. But she wouldn't cry. Not in front of Liam, who was watching her with his big gray eyes, his father's eyes. "I left, feeling hurt that he would just cast me aside like that."

"But that's who Klaus is." Elena said.

"It doesn't mean it didn't hurt." She admitted. "As I walked home, I looked around the town…and all I saw was the drama and the heartbreak. I knew then I had to leave Mystic Falls. So, I pinned up a map, closed my eyes and stuck a clothes pin somewhere on the map. That place would be where I got my new start."

"And you landed on Maine." Stefan deduced.

"Exactly!" Caroline nodded. Liam cooed and grabbed onto her blouse. "It wasn't long after getting here that I began to feel really sick. It made it hard looking for work. Mom gave me enough money to get started. I used it to pay for a checkup. And that's how I learned I was pregnant." She exhaled, trying to expel the sadness from her body.

"…I put two and two together. The timeframe added up to Liam's father undeniably being Klaus."

"But," Stefan cut in, "you're a vampire." He said bluntly. "How were you able to have a child?"

"I don't know." Caroline admitted. "Believe me I was baffled! I mean, I had had sex with Tyler several times. So I can only assume that it has something to do with the fact that Klaus is an original. Something in his bloodline." She said. "That's a theory, but I just don't know."

Liam started to get fussy. Caroline stood up, pacing the room, and Liam started calming down and snuggled into his mother. "But I can now never return to Mystic Falls." She explained rather bluntly.

"Why not?" Elena frowned leaning forward.

"Several reasons." Caroline began. "Klaus would flip his lid if he found out Liam was his son. And I can't lie! I mean, no other vampires have ever conceived. It would be suspicious that I was. I can only assume Klaus knows he can allow for vampires to give live birth."

She let out a sigh. "And then…I can't admit he's a Mikaelson. We've all seen it. The Mikaelsons are always at war with each other. Regardless of whom it is between or why, they're always at war. To go to Mystic Falls, to admit Liam is a Mikaelson… I'd be sending him into that world. And I can't bear to involve him in that!"

Elena was at her feet and hugging Caroline. "It's okay. We can think of something." She comforted. "Everyone misses you. Even if you can just visit for a couple days."

"But…I have a business here. I can't just leave it."

"Caroline," Stefan stepped forward, "we're not asking you to come back to Mystic Falls, we're just asking you to visit."

"What about-"

Elena cut her off. "Don't worry about Klaus. Me, and Stefan and even Damon, if he's willing, will help you deal with Klaus."

"But what about Liam? We can't keep him hidden?"

"We'll think of something."

Caroline sighed. She handed Liam to Elena, who had been eyeing the infant. She walked to her apartment window and stared out of it into the world.

Could she really do it? Could she go back to Mystic Falls, the sight of her heartache? Could she go back to Klaus? No, not go back to him…go back to dealing with him.

Then again, so many people missed her. Jeremy (hopefully- if he hadn't gone all psycho hunter), Bonnie, Matt, April, hell even Damon was sure to have missed her.

She took a deep breath, exhaling all her reservations away.

Look out Mystic Falls, Caroline Forbes is coming home.

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**What did you think? Review.**

**REVIEW!**


	3. Reunions

**I'm loving the support and feedback everyone is giving me. I'm so glad you're all liking it!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own _The Vampire Diaries_. No matter how bad I want to, it just seems like it ain't happening. But I do own this plot so yay!**

**P.S. I'm a review addict. So please review or I won't write. REVIEW!**

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**The One Mistake I Don't Regret**

**3: Reunions**

Stefan hung up his phone and looked at Elena and Caroline on the couch, cooing at Liam. He couldn't help but feel jealous of Caroline. One of the things he had wanted with Elena he would never get so long as Elena remained a vampire…Elena and he would never be able to start a family. No vampire was able to. But here Caroline was, with a son. As jealous as he was, he knew it wasn't Caroline's fault. She didn't plan this. Hell, she didn't even know it was possible. Neither did Stefan for that matter.

Damon cleared his throat, the two girls turned to look at him and Liam stared off into space bug-eyed.

"That was Damon." Stefan explained. "He said it's fine if Caroline stayed for the duration of her visit."

Caroline smiled. "Thanks Stefan." She was grateful the Salvatores were her friends (or in Damon's case, acquaintances). Elena rose and kissed her boyfriend on her cheek.

"When do you want to leave?" Elena asked.

"Well, I need some time to pack." Caroline explained. "And then I need to let my assistant know I'm taking a vacation so she can hold my calls. Plus I have to pack Liam's stuff. Give me a day at least. And you two are welcome to stay the night here. I have a guest room and the couch."

Liam babbled gibberish, drooling as he did. Caroline smiled and hoisted her son into her arms. It was still so hard to believe that something so cute…so innocent could be borne of Klaus' blood. Just the thought brought her mind to Klaus. Despite everything that happened, she couldn't blame Klaus. She knew it. She couldn't bring herself to hate him. But, she was adamant that Klaus never know Liam exists. The world Klaus lived in, where you were your own best, where you were the only person you could trust in the end; she couldn't let her perfect innocent son get pulled into that world.

"Caroline? Caroline? CAROLINE!" Elena finally yelled. Caroline snapped out of her musings.

"Yeah?" She turned to the brunette.

"Are you okay? You kind of spaced there."

Caroline nodded. "Sorry. I just found myself thinking. What's up?"

"Me and Stefan are gonna spend the night here and then you come with us on the drive back to Mystic falls."

"Drive?" Caroline asked. "Are you sure?"

"What's wrong?" Stefan asked.

"Don't get me wrong it's a gracious offer," Caroline began, "but a drive from Maine to Virgina could take several hours, probably most of the day. Liam gets restless on long trips. I don't want you two to have to put up with me."

Elena giggled. "Care, if it was any trouble, we wouldn't have offered in the first place. We'll two your car behind us, and you can ride with us."

Caroline gave a reluctant nod. "If you're sure."

Elena's response was a hug. "Trust me, we are."

* * *

Caroline was shaken out of her light sleep by a large firm hand.

"Care." She heard. The hand belonged to Stefan.

"What is it Stefan?" She asked, rubbing her eyes groggily.

"We're here." Caroline looked out. It was night time. The hours passed so much faster in sleep. It was dark out, and the lights of the Salvatore house were lit up.

Damon stepped out of the house and onto the porch. "There she is." He greeted with his usual smug grin. "Welcome, again, to Casa Salvatore."

"Nice to see you two Damon." Caroline retorted. She unhooked the sleeping Liam from his car seat and cradled the infant in her arms. She got out of the car. Damon stopped. He looked at the baby boy in his arms.

"What the hell is that?" Damon asked, pointing to Liam.

Caroline let out a protective snarl. "I'm going to ask you not to talk about my son that way Damon!"

She stormed pass Damon and into the house. Stefan walked up to his older brother, Caroline's port-a-crib in hand.

"It's a long story." Stefan merely said before following Caroline inside.

"Did I miss something?" Damon asked turning to Elena.

"…It's a long story." Elena repeated and went in the house.

Damon sighed. Whatever it was, it was apparently a long story.

* * *

Caroline had gotten settled in the guest room. She put Liam down in his port-a-crib. He was still asleep. Caroline was thankful for that. A 13 hour drive is pretty exhausting. She lay down and stared up at the ceiling. Alone in this room, her thoughts once again went onto Liam's father.

_Did he even notice I was gone?_ She asked herself. _Would he even care?_ She sighed. Why did she care? Klaus and her both knew their tryst was a mistake. Hell, he told her! But that didn't stop her from thinking. _Does Klaus deserve to know Liam is his son? Does he deserve to know he even has a son?_

She was pulled from her musings by a knock on the door. She sat up to see Damon in her doorway. "Can I come in?" He asked. Any hint of mischief in his voice was gone, meaning whatever Damon wanted, it was serious.

She gave a curt nod. "What do you want Damon?" She asked.

He sat at the end of her bed. "First off, I want to apologize for my attitude. I mean, I was kind of shocked to see you show up with a baby."

She sighed. "Understandable."

"So…how do you have a baby?"

She groaned. "I don't even know. I can only theorize."

"I've tried to talk to Stefan and Elena, but their adamant that you have to tell me."

"About a year ago, weeks before I left Mystic Falls, I found Tyler cheating on me." Damon's eyes widened. Yes, his and Caroline's relationship was…strained, but he still had some care for her well-being. Caroline saw the look in his eyes. "Don't even think about going after him. I moved past it."

"Anyway, "she continued, "I was so heartbroken that I slept with Klaus. When I left Mystic Falls, I found out I was pregnant. And the math added up to Klaus being the father. As for how, I don't know. I can only assume that it has something to do with Klaus being an original."

"So…that's why you came back?" Damon asked. "To show Klaus his son?"

"Oh hell no!"Caroline exclaimed. "I came back because Elena convinced me to visit. I don't even want Klaus knowing I'm back, let alone I had his child."

"Then isn't it risky coming here?"

Caroline sighed. "Yeah, but have you ever tried to say no to Elena?" She asked. "You either can't, or you do and you feel bad after."

Damon chuckled. "True. So what's your plan then?"

Caroline thought. "Hopefully find someone to watch Liam." She stated. "Then meet my old friends, visit for a bit, and return to Maine without Klaus…or Tyler for that matter realizing I'm here."

"Well I am no good with children." Damon held his hands up as if defending himself. "So don't ask me to babysit."

"Oh please!" Caroline laughed. "Like I'd ever want my son exposed to you."

Damon smiled and hugged her. "It's good to see you again Care."

Caroline nodded and returned her hug. "You too Damon."

* * *

Klaus sat in his room. Glass of scotch in hand. He swallowed the brown liquid, enjoying the burn as it went down his throat. At his desk, was a sketch he was working on. It had started out as various lines. He kept adding more and more. Eventually, the sketch had formed a female face, and not just any female…

He was sketching Caroline. He didn't mean to, but he ended up pouring his subconscious onto the paper. It looked so much like her. Her soft eyes, her silky blonde her, her luscious lips…

The door opened. Klaus turned around. It was one of his hybrids.

He rose from his desk. "I thought I told you to keep an eye on the Salvatore." He growled.

The hybrid cowered. "I actually have news."

Klaus raised an eyebrow. "It better be good if you not only left your post but decided to disturb me during my intimate time."

The hybrid bowed, terrified. "Stefan and the Gilbert girl came back." He managed to stutter.

"Is that all?"

He shook his head. "They brought someone with them. "

"Who?"

He stuttered. "C-C-Caroline Forbes."

Klaus stopped in his tracks. It couldn't be possible. Caroline came back? Why?

"Is that all?" He asked.

The hybrid nodded.

"Get out of my sight then." The hybrid scurried out. Klaus sat back down in his desk. So, Caroline was back in Mystic Falls. He had waited so long for her to come back, to see her again. Now that she was back, it felt unreal. Could he really see her again? He looked at the clock. A little past midnight.

She was probably exhausted. He would see her tomorrow. He would finally get the chance to amend his error…calling their tryst a mistake.

But…Caroline was stubborn. He only hoped she would listen.

* * *

Caroline was headed to the Mystic Grill for breakfast. Stefan and Elena agreed to watch Liam so she could go out for a bit. It had been well over a year, and this town still hadn't changed. Some things never do. Mystic Falls seemed to be one of those things.

Caroline had dressed in a simple white button-up blouse and a black skirt. She had one a black jacket over her blouse. She also had white heels on that clicked on the ground as she entered the grill.

"Caroline?" A feminine voice called from the bar. She looked towards the bar for the source of the voice.

"Hello…Rebekah." She begrudgingly greeted. Oh joy. Someone she had wanted to avoid… a Mikaelson. And yet, she sat next to said original.

"I didn't know you were back in town." She said.

"Got back last night." She admitted. "I'm staying at the Salvatores."

"Well," Rebekah said, "it's nice to see you."

Caroline gasped and nearly choked on her breath…thank heavens she was undead. "What!?" She exclaimed.

"You seem surprised." Rebekah raised one of her slender eyebrows.

"You said it's nice to see me." Caroline regained her composure. "Since when? We weren't exactly friends."

Rebekah let out a dark and sexy (even Caroline had to admit that) laugh. "Well…you know the saying; you never know what something is worth until it's gone."

"Who are you and what have you done with Rebekah Mikaelson?"

Rebekah only laughed again. "I guess you could say I had my eyes opened."

At that moment, Matt Donovan came out to the bar. "I'll see you later tonight babe." He kissed Rebekah's cheek.

…If Caroline was drinking anything, she would have spit it out.

Rebekah gestured to the girl next to her. "Look who came back."

"Caroline!" Matt smiled.

"I need to run now. I'll see you later." Rebekah stood and gave Matt a lingering kiss before running out of the restaurant.

Caroline was absolutely dumbfounded. What the fuck was that?

"So what have you been up to?" Matt asked.

Caroline looked at him wide-eyed. "I could ask you the same thing."

He chuckled. "You mean me and Rebekah?" He paused, thinking of the best way to tell her. "It's a long story."

Caroline only nodded. "One of you will have to tell me sometime."

Matt nodded. "In the meantime, what can I get you?"

Caroline's response was immediate and without thought. "Black coffee."

Matt nodded and pulled a clean mug out from under the bar and set it in front of her. He proceeded to grab the coffee pot and fill her cup with the steaming liquid. Caroline nodded her thanks and lifted her cup, nursing the scalding liquid down her throat.

"Caroline?" A very familiar male voice asked from behind her.

Caroline looked up from her cup. No matter how long it was, she knew that voice anywhere. She set her cup of coffee down and turned around to face the owner of that voice. The look on her face was a combination of icy scorn and burning as she glared at the source of the voice.

"Hello Tyler!"

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	4. Confrontations

**I'm loving the support and feedback everyone is giving me. I'm so glad you all like it!**

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**First off, as the author of this fan-oriented work I am disregarding all notions of the cure. I didn't want to incorporate into the story, otherwise it would become a major thing. I am contemplating whether or not to keep bat-shit crazy Jeremy though.**

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**Secondly, I'm gonna rant for a bit. It was really hard to want to keep writing this after watching the winter finale of season 4, _O Come All Ye Faithful_. I mean Klaus frickin' murdered Carol. Yes, I don't like Tyler, but Carol didn't deserve that! Especially under those circumstances. He basically said he was only killing her because she was Tyler's mother. Unlike Tyler (again my opinion), Carol was a much more likeable character. That ending just pissed me off and depressed me at the same time! Ranting helped me cool down for a bit. I'm still pissed Carol is dead though!**

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**Disclaimer: I don't own _The Vampire Diaries_. No matter how bad I want to, it just seems like it ain't happening. But I do own this plot so yay!**

**P.S. I'm a review addict. So please review or I won't write. REVIEW!**

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**The One Mistake I Don't Regret**

**4: Confrontations**

Klaus paced the floor in the living room of his mansion. Thoughts swarmed his head.

Caroline was back in Mystic Falls. She was staying with the Salvatores. How long was she going to be there? Why had she come back?

He was distracted from his musings when the door opened and his sister walked in.

"Rebekah." Klaus greeted. "To what do I owe the honor of your intrusion into my privacy?"

Rebekah merely smiled at Klaus' usual malice and sat on the couch. "You'll never guess who I ran into at the grill."

"Well, obviously it's someone that is either close to me or concerns me, so it can't be your sex toy Donovan."

Faster than even Klaus could comprehend, Rebekah was on her feet inches from Klaus and growling. A loud smack echoed across the room as Rebekah struck her older brother across the face. "Don't you _dare_ talk about Matt like that Niklaus! He is my boyfriend and I expect you to treat him with the same amount of respect you give me or Elijah!"

Klaus retaliated by grabbing Rebekah by the neck and slamming her against the wall. "You watch you're tone little sister." Klaus' voice was low. Dangerously low. "I treat you and Elijah with respect, because I respect you two! I hold no respect for Donovan, I don't like him, and I don't approve of your relationship!" He growled. "However, I am not going to stop you from seeing him. Just know that I am going to voice my displeasure." He released his sister and she fell to her knees gasping. Klaus moved to leave the room.

"Then I guess I won't tell you I ran into Caroline Forbes at the Mystic Grill."

Klaus stopped dead in his tracks. He turned to face Rebekah. "What did you say?"

Rebekah got to her feet. "Caroline Forbes is back in town. I just saw her at the Mystic Grill." She turned on her heel. "And I'd hurry if I were you…because I saw Tyler heading there as I left."

The moment Lockwood entered the conversation, Klaus didn't need to be told twice.

* * *

"You came back?" Tyler asked, shock evident in his voice.

Caroline turned back to the bar, taking another sip of her coffee. "Can I also have a glass of water please? Hold the ice." She asked Matt. Matt raised an eyebrow, confused but nodded and filled a glass with water and set it next to her coffee mug.

"How have you been?" Tyler asked, ignoring the blatantly obvious cold shoulder Caroline was giving him.

"None of your business." She took another sip of her coffee, not turning back to him. In the months that she'd been gone from Mystic Falls, Caroline's feelings of betrayal and sadness toward Tyler Lockwood became anger and rage.

"Caroline. Please talk to me." Tyler pleaded, sounding more like a begging dog than a strong hybrid.

"Why don't you talk with Hayley!?" Caroline sneered.

"Caroline, you can't hold onto that forever!"

She turned to him letting out a scoff. "Au conrtraire!" She exclaimed. "I actually think I can! You cheated on me Tyler!"

"Care, pl-"

She cut him off. "Don't call me that! Only friends and people close to me can call me that. You lost that privilege when you slept with the were-slut."

"Caroline. Please calm down. We can talk about this. We can get over this."

_That dick! He thinks I want to make amends!?_ Caroline grabbed the glass of water she ordered and tossed it in Tyler's face, soaking him.

"What the fuck Caroline!?" He exclaimed wiping the water out of his eyes and off his face.

Caroline merely stood from her stool, paid for her two drinks and tipped Matt. She turned back to Tyler.

"Take the hint, and leave me alone!" She stormed passed him out the door when she bumped into someone.

"Oh I'm sorry, I didn't mean to…" the apology died on her tongue as she looked up.

"Hello love." Klaus greeted.

Caroline's brave stature and attitude died when she saw those pools of gray. "K-K-Klaus." She managed to stutter.

Klaus looked down at her. It had been so long. He thought he would never see her again. And here she was, staring at him in fear. He didn't like it though. Fear didn't suit Caroline's features.

"What's wrong love?" He asked. "You look like you've seen a ghost."

Caroline took a step back. "N-Nothing." She stammered out. "I just didn't expect to run into you is all. It took me by surprise."

"Really?" He asked with a devious smirk. "After everything _we've done_, I still manage to take you by surprise?"

Caroline looked down and blushed. The moment he emphasized "we've done" she knew he was talking about their one night tryst.

Tyler saw her blush and growled. He knew something happened between Klaus and Caroline. He never knew exactly what. But that blush…a blush he used to give her…he knew.

They slept together!

He wanted to protest. So bad. But he knew he had no right. He did sleep with Hayley after all. He could say whatever excuse he could, but it would never be justifiable. Besides, he knew that he practically pushed her to Klaus.

Caroline looked up, in an attempt to regain her strength. "I should get going. I've caused enough trouble." She gestured to the soaked Tyler.

"What do you say I take you out sometime?" Klaus asked bluntly. "As a sort of welcome home?"

Caroline stopped and looked at him. Tyler did too. Neither of them knew it, but they were thinking the same thing:

_Did Klaus just ask me out?_

_Did Klaus just ask her out?_

Caroline shook her head. She couldn't let herself get swept up by Klaus again. "I'm sorry, but no." She said quickly and left the restaurant.

Both hybrids watched her leave before the original turned to his offspring.

"Didn't I tell you to stay away from her?" He asked darkly.

"I'm not your little bitch anymore Klaus!" Tyler stated proudly. "I broke my sire bond. You can't control me. I'm a fr…"

He didn't see the chair getting broken over his head. Tyler spiraled to the ground, hissing in pain.

Klaus kneeled beside him. "It wasn't me invoking a sire bond Tyler." Tyler looked up at him.

"It was a threat." The original finished his statement, rose to his feet and left the restaurant as well.

* * *

Caroline ran back to the Slavatore house and into the guest room where Elena and Stefan were entertaining Liam. Caroline smiled at the two.

"I can take over now you two." She smiled. Elena nodded and handed her Liam. Before they left, Caroline turned to Elena. "Tomorrow I want to tell Bonnie." Elena nodded and left with Stefan.

Caroline sat down on the bed, looking at the baby in her arms. He was in a blue onesie with a yellow duck pattern. She smiled at her son who gave her a wide mouthed smile in return.

Caroline couldn't help but giggle. "So guess who I met today wittle guy?" She asked. He only looked at her, his big grey eyes were wide.

She nodded. "Yeah, I met your daddy." Liam kicked his tiny feet in response.

The smile on Caroline's face vanished. "With any luck, you'll never have to meet him." She explained. She hugged her son close.

"But in the chance you do meet him, please," she was begging, "never grow up to be like him!"

Liam babbled in baby gibberish. Caroline smiled and looked at Liam. She couldn't help but wonder:

_Was there a point in time when Klaus was ever this innocent? _

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	5. Sparks

**I'm loving the support and feedback everyone is giving me. I'm so glad you all like it!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own _The Vampire Diaries_. No matter how bad I want to, it just seems like it ain't happening. But I do own this plot so yay!**

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**On a side note, I've looked around fanfiction. I am proud to announce that I get to introduce a (possible) new ship: Dapril. You'll understand who it is in this chap (if you haven't figured it out).**

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**P.S. I'm a review addict. So please review or I won't write. REVIEW!**

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**The One Mistake I Don't Regret**

**5: Sparks**

A knock was heard on the Salvatore house. Stefan and Elena were out and Caroline was asleep with Liam. Which meant Damon was going to be the one to answer the door. He opened it to see none other than April Young. The daughter of the pastor who killed himself and the council.

Said pastor's daughter backed up a step. "Damon?" she gasped nervously. "Hi." She gulped.

The bad boy vampire leaned against the doorway. "You can relax you know." He said bluntly. "You're Elena's friend, which means you get a safety pass."

He saw Caroline exhale, but her pulse and heartbeat were still frantic. "How are you handling the truth about Mystic Falls?" He asked.

She pondered his question for a few seconds. She knew what he was talking about. She finally found an answer. "I'm adjusting she said. But a town full of supernatural beings…it's kind of hard to take in all at once."

"Understandable." Damon stepped aside. "Would you like to come in?"

"Actually, I heard Elena was back. I wanted to say hi."

Damon sighed. "Well, Elena is out with my much nicer brother. "

"Do you know where they are?"

He grinned. "You know, for a small town, they could be anywhere. It would be much easier to come in and wait for them to get back."

April nodded and crossed the threshold into the Salvatore house. Damon noticed what she was wearing. A tight, low cut, midnight blue shirt which showed off a … generous amount of skin, and a short black skirt.

God! Why did the innocent ones have to dress so damn hot? And the fact she was Elena's friend didn't help either, because if Damon made any kind of move, Elena would kill him. And that would be one kick in the crotch he didn't want.

"It's funny." She said without thinking.

"What is?" Damon asked closing the door behind.

April squeaked and turned around, realizing that she was thinking aloud. "Just that as a girl my father would always tell me these ghost stories about vampires and werewolves being monsters and heartless killing machines." She explained. "Yet, every vampire I've met is the most civilized gentleman in existence…at least, much nicer than some of the men in this town."

Damon chuckled. "We are monsters Young." He said. "We just choose to act civilized. Now, can I get you a drink?"

"If I'm not imposing." She said standing in the middle of the room.

Then don't just stand there," he stated, "come on into the kitchen."

April ran into the kitchen. "Now," Damon asked, "what can I get you?"

"Hot tea if you have any."

Damon searched through drawers and cabinets until he found what he was looking for. He heated up a cup of water for her and set the tea bag in it, allowing it to steep.

As they sat there and waited, minutes seemed to pass in silence.

"So…" Damon began.

April looked up. "Yeah?"

"This silence is pretty awkward."

April giggled. "True, but that's understandable."

"How so?"

"Well, we hardly know each other and we've never really socialized." She explained. "So a subject of conversation would be a little bit hard to find."

"True." Damon agreed.

At that moment, Caroline came rushing into the room. "Damon, do you happen to know where the bottle- April!" Caroline gasped when she saw the girl.

"Caroline!" April got up from her chair and hugged the girl. "It's good to see you. It's been so long."

"I know!" Caroline replied. "How have you been?"

April released her. "I've been good. What about you? You kind of vanished."

"I went to Maine." Caroline explained. "I actually started a party planning business. It's a major success."

"Of course." Damon scoffed. "No one throws a party better than Ms. Anal Retentive."

Caroline sent him a cold look, not quite a glare. "Was that a compliment or an insult?" She asked.

"It was an compliment wrapped up in an insult." Damon clarified.

The blonde only sighed. "Sometimes Damon…"

"Sometimes what Care?"

She looked at him. "Sometimes I wonder how people put up with you."

"Simple." He smirked. "Girls love a bad boy." The answer got April to blush a pink shade of rose.

"And what about men?" Caroline countered. "How do they put up with you?"

"Outside of Stefan…I have absolutely no idea."

"That makes two of us."

"Oh!" Damon exclaimed suddenly. He grabbed April's cup. "Your tea. Sorry about that."

"No worries." April took her cup and sipped it.

Caroline looked at April, eyes wide with shocked. "You got him to make you tea?"

April nodded.

Caroline's shocked expression didn't die. "He doesn't do anything for anyone except himself!"

"Yeah, that's it Care. Slam me while I'm still in the room."

"Oh yeah!" Caroline suddenly remembered. "Liam's bottle! Elena said she brought it out here to wash it. Have you seen it Damon?"

Damon shook his head. "You told me not to rub off on him, remember?" He said. "Oh wait…here it is." He pulled it out of the sink.

Caroline took it from him. "Thanks." She went into the fridge. Blood bags on every shelf. On the top shelf next to…well blood bags, Caroline grabbed a glass bottle she had labeled "breast milk." She filled the bottle, put the glass bottle in the fridge and put the bottle in the microwave. She heated the milk to room temperature and took it out, setting it on the counter. She picked up a knife and pricked her pointer finger. She lowered her pricked finger over the bottle. A drop of her crimson essence fell into the bottle.

Another drop.

Three drops.

Four drops.

Five drops.

After the fifth drop, Caroline screwed the top onto the bottle and shook it. The blood mixed with the milk, turning the liquid a sort of skin color. Caroline turned back to Damon and April, who watched the scene in silence.

"Watch him." Caroline warned April. "Behave." She warned Damon and vanished upstairs.

"What was that about?" April asked.

"As much as I would like to tell you," Damon said, "it's not my place to say."

April opened her mouth to say something when they heard the door open. "Hello?" Elena called from the living room.

"Oh that's Elena!" April said. "Thanks for the tea Damon." She ran out of the room.

Damon looked to her full cup of tea.

"Well," he said to himself, "just goes to show being nice goes to a waste." He dumped the drink down the sink.

* * *

Klaus stormed back home and slammed the door shut behind him.

He was seeing red.

He swore he could have had Caroline. But Tyler Lockwood had to beat him to the Grill. He just had to piss her off.

He believed that if he got there first, before Tyler got her mad, she would have said yes to his proposition of a date. Well, if at first you don't succeed, try try again. And that's exactly what he was going to do.

He stepped out of the house. Rebekah said something about Caroline staying with the Salvatores. Well, he just needed to work fast. Who knew what would happen to Caroline there? He wasn't worried about Stefan. Stefan was with Elena. And besides, if he wasn't, Stefan was too much of a gentleman to try anything anyway.

It was Damon that was the problem. Damon was the player, the bad boy. Klaus knew about bad boys, seeing as he was a bit of one himself. But a single girl under the Salvatore roof…it was only a matter of time. And the last thing he wanted was _HIS_ Caroline sullied by the older Salvatore brother.

_Stop saying she belongs to you! You know it isn't true!_

Klaus rushed to the Salvatore house. He wanted to see Caroline.

He wanted his thoughts to not be true.

* * *

Tyler got back home and slammed the door shut. He let out a frustrated growl and leaned against the wall.

"What's the matter?" A feminine voice asked. Tyler looked up to see Hayley.

"Nothing." He said.

She saw right through him. "It doesn't seem like nothing."

Tyler sighed. "Caroline's back."

"Really?" Hayley crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow.

Tyler nodded. "I just wanted to apologize to her. Yes, I'm with you now, but still I didn't want to hurt her like I did."

Hayley nodded. "Tyler, if she wants you to apologize, you need to let her come to you."

"Yeah right!" Tyler scoffed.

"I'm serious!" Hayley said. "Women tend to hold grudges for impressive lengths of time. When she comes to you, you'll know she's ready to move past it."

"That or she'll just fuck Klaus again." He said under his breath. He couldn't help it. He was with Hayley, and if Caroline moved on he'd be happy for her…except if it was Klaus. Moving on with him would be unacceptable.

"What was that?" Hayley asked.

"I have a reason to believe that after Caroline caught us, she slept with Klaus."

"You're starting to sound jealous." Hayley pointed out.

Tyler sat on the steps with her. "It's not that. Believe me, if she found someone else, I would be happy for her."

"Just not Klaus?" Hayley asked.

"Exactly!"

"Why?"

"Because, Klaus is a pompous ass! She can do so much better than him." Tyler defended his opinion.

Hayley stood up and placed her hands on Tyler's shoulders. "Come on. Let's go to your room." She said. "Let me help my big bad hybrid forget about his day."

* * *

Stefan, Elena and April sat in the living room of the Salvatore house, catching up.

"So this Frenchman, doesn't stop hitting on me." Elena was in the middle of a story. "And I tell him 'would you like me or my boyfriend to hit on you?' Of course he said me, so I drag him outside and I kick his ass!"

The group laughed. Caroline came downstairs, Liam in her arms suckling on the mixture of milk and blood Caroline made him. "Hey everyone. Room for two more?" She asked. April and Elena made a spot between them for Care and Liam. Caroline took it, sitting down between them both. The group suddenly obsessed over the infant in the room. He finished the last drops of his bottle, and Caroline sat it down. She sat Liam up on her lap and pat his back with a firm but gentle touch. Liam let out a quiet little "burp."

"Good boy." Caroline cooed. Liam only smiled in response, babbling as he did so. Caroline wiped his mouth.

"He's so cute!" April said as she reached forward and tickled his chin.

"Careful." Caroline warned. "He is a vampire baby." April suddenly stopped and pulled her finger back. She looked up and into the kitchen and looked at Damon, sitting in there alone.

"Are you okay April?" Elena asked.

April suddenly turned to the group, blushing. She nodded quickly. "Yeah. I'm fine. Why wouldn't I be?"

"Because that's the fifth time in the last hour you've looked at Damon." Elena said. She had noticed it the entire time. When she thought no one was looking, April would steal glances at the solitary Damon in the kitchen. "You should talk to him."

"Me?" April gasped. "No. I couldn't. He likes being alone. I would just intrude."

Caroline stepped in. "I've known Damon for a while now April." She said. "Trust me, he's not alone by choice."

April looked at him again. "I don't know."

Stefan, who had remained silent, spoke up. "And you never will unless you get up and go talk to him. Trust me, he doesn't bite."

April squeaked. Stefan chuckled. "Sorry. No pun intended."

There was a knock at the door. Everyone stopped and looked at it. The knocker repeated.

"I'll get it!" Caroline announced and passed Liam to Elena before getting up. She went to the door and opened it.

"Can I help-" She stopped when she saw who it was.

"Klaus!" She stepped back in fear.

"Hello Love." He smirked at her.

"What are you-" again she stopped. This time because Liam was babbling and cooing. Caroline turned to look at him. But, she had created a window for Klaus to see him too. When she turned to look back at Klaus, his sight was focused on the child.

At that moment, one thought filled Caroline's head:

_Oh fuck!_

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**Now things start heating up. What do you guys think of the idea of Dapril (Damon and April)? What did you think? Review**

**REVIEW!**


	6. Revealations

**Disclaimer: I don't own _The Vampire Diaries_. No matter how bad I want to, it just seems like it ain't happening. But I do own this plot so yay!**

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**So, a lot of you reacted to my pairing of Dapril (Damon Salvatore and April Young). It seems it's either like or hate with no middle ground. Please note, I started watching the show late in the third season (after Alaric became a douchebag vamp killer). So, I would have paired her with either Elijah or Kol, but I am not really familiar with them (but I'm working on that).**

**And a reviewer actually said April is too young for Damon. Really? You want to go by that logic, then so is Elena.**

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**P.S. I'm a review addict. So please review or I won't write. REVIEW!**

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**The One Mistake I Don't Regret**

**6: Revelations**

Caroline looked from Liam to Klaus, mentally kicking herself for being so careless. She stepped in front of his field of view, blocking his sight of the baby.

"What do you want Klaus?" She practically hissed.

Klaus, who was focused on the baby, shifted his attention to her. "Well love," he said "my offer for that date still stands."

She scoffed. "It can stand until the end of time and I still wouldn't go out with you."

"Why are you acting so rude to me love?" Klaus asked. "You weren't this rude when you dragged me to my bed?"

She gasped. "We both agreed that was a mistake." She glared daggers at him.

"If it was a mistake," Klaus stepped closer to her, "then I wouldn't mind making it again and again and again."

Caroline stepped back. "My answer remains no Klaus." She stated firmly. "You might as well give up."

"I'm not giving up yet love." He responded. "I don't give up, period. You're just being challenging is all."

"Go ahead and try all you want Klaus," she spoke low, "but I'm not going out with you."

A loud giggle sounded behind her. Caroline turned around to see Liam kicking his little feet as Elena tickled him. Caroline needed to end this conversation…NOW!

"Leave Klaus!" She said.

Klaus ignored her. Instead, he pointed at Liam. "Who is that?" Klaus asked. Liam looked back at him with big gray eyes.

Caroline was thankful Klaus wasn't invited in the house. It was the only thing keeping him at pay. "That, Klaus, is a baby. His name is Liam. "Caroline made up a quick lie. "I found him abandoned…I took him in." She fibbed.

"Is that so?" Klaus raised an eyebrow.

Caroline nodded and slammed the door in his face. Klaus growled and knocked on the door again. He wasn't done talking to Caroline.

"Open the door love!" He shouted to the house, trying to call out Caroline. "We're not done!"

"Go home!" She yelled back. "I want nothing to do with you."

Klaus growled and grabbed a potted plant. He threw it through the window. He heard several gasps followed by the baby crying.

"You can't avoid me forever love!" Klaus threatened and walked away.

He now had other things to do. He wasn't giving up, he just needed some information.

That infant. That infant. Something about him was haunting. He couldn't quite put his finger on it. Could be that he had Caroline's soft pale skin. Or her silken blonde hair.

Or the most haunting part. When he looked at that baby, Klaus saw his own grey eyes staring back at him.

He rushed back to his mansion. There was only one person who may have the answers he needed.

* * *

Caroline rocked Liam in her arms. He had finally calmed down, but he still clung to his mama's shirt.

"It's ok baby." She cooed. "Mama is here."

Eventually, he did go limp in her arms, a sign he was asleep. Caroline took him upstairs to her room and laid him down in his crib. She made sure Liam was comfortable and went back downstairs. April and Damon were cleaning up the glass and the broken potted plant. Elena ran to Caorline and hugged her.

"I'm fine Elena." Caroline insisted. Elena nodded and kept hugging her.

"No one talks to Klaus like that and lives." Damon said standing up.

"Well, I didn't invite him in Damon." Caroline retorted. "I think I'm safe."

"Yeah," Damon said, "but now you can't leave the house."

Caroline sighed. "I knew there would be risks of coming back. Especially with Liam now." She said. "But I had to come back."

"Why?" Damon asked, almost as a sneer. "If you knew the risks of coming back, why did you?"

"Because!" Caroline interjected. She realized she yelled and took deep breaths to calm down and spoke in a calm tone. "When I left, I left abruptly. I needed closure. I needed to close the Mystic Falls chapter of my life." She explained. "Every minute I'm not occupied is a minute I think back to this place. Everyone I left. I wanted, I needed things to end on good terms."

She sighed. "But now, it seems I've attracted Klaus' attentions and endangered myself. So I need to leave."

"Leave?" April gasped. "So soon? You just got here!"

"I know April." Caroline smiled. "But you saw what Klaus did. Trust me, if he stayed he would have destroyed the house just to get in. I need to leave."

Elena hugged Caroline. "Are you sure?"

Caroline sighed. "I don't really know." She admitted. "I know the risks of staying. But, at the same time, I feel like I haven't finished what I came here to do."

Elena sat on the couch with Caroline. Caroline only stared forward at the fireplace.

"I think you should leave." Stefan blurted.

"Stefan!" Elena gasped, both girls looking at him in shock.

"Think about Liam Caroline." Stefan stated. "Klaus isn't stupid. He will be suspicious. But if he learns the truth, Liam as well as you could be in danger."

Caroline nodded. "You're right Stefan." She agreed. "I mean, my well-being I would risk any day. But, you're right. I have a son now. I need to protect him. _Especially,_" she stressed, "from his father."

"So what's the plan?" Elena asked.

Caroline looked at Stefan and Elena. "Tomorrow, I'm heading to the airport and going back to Maine."

Elena would have continued the conversation, but her and Caroline and Damon hear a rustle at the broken window and rushed to it, looking for a sign of a possible intruder.

* * *

Tyler ran away from the Salvatore house as fast as possible.

It couldn't be. It wasn't possible. How could it be true?

Caroline had a child. And not just any child, but Klaus'.

By all means, Caroline shouldn't have had the ability to bear children. But she did.

He let out a howl. It was all Klaus' fault. Klaus and Tyler were always rivals for Caroline's affection. And then Tyler slept with Hayley, which pushed Caroline to Klaus.

It pissed him off. Caroline never should have been with Klaus. Klaus should have been dead by now. But, out of heartbreak Caroline told Klaus about his plan to use his hybrids against him. That night, after Klaus confronted him and Hayley, the original slaughtered the hybrids. It was a bloodbath.

He only let Tyler live so that he would be forced to live with the idea of being a failure.

But not this time. This time, he was going to make things right. He would get Klaus out of the picture now. More determined than ever. Klaus, along with anyone who stood in the way.

And he knew where to hit Klaus where it would hurt. A potential weakness.

* * *

"Excuse me." Damon rose. "I need a drink." And the older Salvatore vanished into the kitchen. He pulled out a bottle of brandy and a glass and filled the glass with the dark liquid.

Mid drink, there was a knock on the door. Damon lowered his glass to see April in the doorway.

"Can I help you?" He asked.

She entered the kitchen and sat across from Damon. "Stefan and Elena are helping Caroline pack." She said. "That room was crowded enough with three people and a baby. So I came down here."

Damon nodded and downed his drink. April sat there twiddling her thumbs like the innocent girl she was. The minutes passed in silence.

"Can I ask you something?" April finally asked, breaking the silence.

"Shoot." Damon answered.

"This Klaus person seems like quite a character." She said. "I've heard you complain about him and the trouble he's caused. Why not just kill him?"

Damon chuckled, amused. "It's not from lack of trying, believe me." He explained. "But, if you have to execute something like that with finesse. I mean, the last time we tried, we learned that killing Klaus would also kill every vampire he's ever turned and every vampire they've turned and so on and so on."

April nodded and Damon continued. "Plus, there are times when he's actually beneficial." He said. "It's hard to put up with him, but sometimes thing just aren't easy."

April nodded, having had her fair share of hardships herself. "I see."

"Plus, if we killed Klaus, we'd be making his entire family our enemy and you don't want to pick a fight with the originals." Damon finished his drink.

April looked at her phone, checking the time. "I should be getting home now." She said.

Damon only nodded.

April looked at him. "You should explain more of this vampire mythos to me…say tomorrow? Over breakfast at the Mystic Grill?"

Damon nodded. "Sure. Why not?"

April nodded and left. One thought on her mind:

_I can't believe I just asked out a vampire._

* * *

Klaus looked through the library. Hoping to find anything on the originals. Nothing. Nothing at all. It was all myths, and legends , and stories, and folklore. He needed something concrete. An account of someone who actually knew the originals. But, it appeared that no such literature existed in Klaus' extensive library.

"Need some help brother?" A voice asked.

Klaus turned around to see his brother. "Elijah." He greeted.

"Your search seems pretty frantic." Elijah commented. "What are you looking for?"

"Nothing my library has sadly." Klaus responded. It was then that he got an idea. Not one he liked, but an idea none the less. "Elijah?" He asked.

Elijah turned to his brother. "Yes Niklaus?"

"You were closer to mother than any of us right?" He asked.

Elijah raised an eyebrow. Why bring mother into this? Klaus hated the woman more than anything…except for Mikael. "Why?" He asked.

"Do you know if mother kept any journals or notes on us?" Klaus asked, still flipping through books.. "Anything about the full extent of our abilities. Abilities we know we have as well as don't know."

Elijah shook his head. "I'm not sure Niklaus. I'm just not. I can search for you if you need me too, but may I ask why this information is so important?"

Klaus looked at his brother and voiced his suspicions.

"I think I have a son."

* * *

**Now Klaus knows (or at least suspects) that Liam is his son. What's gonna happen next? I am so sorry! I felt the quality of this chapter was less than what I've been producing. I suffered a writer's block and tried to write through it.**

**What did you think? Review**

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	7. Taken

**Disclaimer: I don't own **_**The Vampire Diaries**_**. No matter how bad I want to, it just seems like it ain't happening. But I do own this plot so yay!**

**P.S. I'm a review addict. So please review or I won't write. REVIEW!**

* * *

**The One Mistake I Don't Regret**

**7: Taken**

"A…a son?" Elijah asked breaking his stoic mask to reveal shock. Klaus only nodded.

"How is that possible?"

Klaus sighed and shrugged. "I honestly have no idea Elijah." He said, lounging on the couch. "But, I believe if anyone did have an idea, it would be our departed mother."

Elijah only looked at his brother. "What makes you think mother would have known?"

"For centuries, our mother has tried to kill us." Klaus explained his theory. "She must have been keeping track of our abilities over the years. What we're capable of, how we can be stopped."

"And you think mother would have had a record of this?" Elijah questioned.

"She's had five children, and we've all been alive for centuries. She couldn't have remembered all that knowledge. She had to have written it down."

Elijah nodded. "Well brother… you are right."

Klaus looked to him. Elijah continued. "About 300 years ago, our mother gave me a sealed journal. She asked me to hide it where no one could find it. It may have the answers you seek."

"Where is this journal then?" He asked.

Elijah looked out the window to the world. "It's in the lining of my coffin." He said.

* * *

Tyler entered his room to find Hayley lounging on the bed.

"What's up?" She asked sitting up.

Tyler had a grin on his face. It wasn't happy or wicked. It was victorious.

"I think I may have finally found a way to get rid of Klaus." Was all he said.

"What's the plan then?" Hayley smirked. She knew he hated Klaus, and was willing to do anything to get rid of him. And she would help him, regardless of the cost.

* * *

Klaus went into Elijah's room. There was his older brother's sleek black coffin. Klaus opened the lid. He reached into his older brother's casket and felt around the padding. Towards the head of the coffin, Klaus felt a rigid bump. That had to be it.

Klaus ripped a hole in the fabric and reached inside. Just like Elijah said. There was a book. He pulled it out and examined it. It was bound in red leather which had faded over the years. He opened the book to see his mother's own script. Klaus flipped through the pages, looking for anything in his mother's writings that might describe Klaus' abilities. He skimmed each page, looking for anything that might stand out. Then he saw it. Halfway through the journal. The entry was more than 700 years old.

* * *

"_Something interesting happened today. I came across a girl named Lila. I knew she was vampire. Over the years, I've come to recognize the traits of vampires. But something stuck out about this one. Something very interesting._

_She was with child. _

_Lila explained that the child belonged to Niklaus. How was this possible? Niklaus was half vampire. This girl was a vampire. They should by no means be able to copulate. I did the only thing that I could think of at times like these._

_I contacted the spirits. I knew Niklaus' hybrid nature shifted the balance of nature. He was an abomination!"_

* * *

Klaus scoffed. Even in writing, his mother insulted him. He kept reading.

* * *

"_In more ways than one, Niklaus shifted the balance. The spirits believed that as he was a hybrid of two demonic entities, he would be a creature purely of death. The spirits insisted that Niklaus' existence shifted the balance in favor of death. _

_The spirits' solution to my bastard's shifting of the balance was to bestow upon him the gift to create life._

_When the spirits gave me their answer, I realized something._

_Niklaus' seed had the power to revive a dead womb…the womb of a vampire._

_As much as I wanted to kill the wench and the thing she carried, I knew I couldn't. I needed to observe exactly what this child would be capable of. I tricked her into thinking Niklaus abandoned her, but that I would be there for her."_

* * *

Klaus was shocked. He remembered Lila well. Kol insisted she was "fun" to keep around and turned her. When Kol went and broke her heart, Klaus went to comfort her. Needless to say, Klaus ended up sleeping with her. But…she was pregnant? And Esther knew. That was all that entry had. He scanned through the journal looking for more on the subject. He found an entry dated a few months later.

* * *

"_Lila gave birth to a girl. She looked so human. But I knew she was a monster beyond words._

_It has been a few days now. I have been watching Lila and her child, she named the thing Victoria. I've noticed that the child requires its mother's milk along with a few drops of blood. Not many, four at the most._

_I have to leave her know. My family will get suspicious if I stay away too long."_

* * *

The next entry Klaus found was five years after that.

* * *

"_She has physically aged five years. I find this astounding. For a vampire, she should be physically frozen in time. Unable to age. More than that, I have found that she exhibits the abilities of a hybrid, much like Niklaus."_

* * *

Klaus flipped through more. He never really cared for Lila. His copulation with her was a one-time thing. But his mother knew Lila had conceived and for years she watched Lila and her daughter like a predator stalks its prey.

There is was. Another entry on the subject. Klaus looked at the date. This one was 45 years older than the last entry.

* * *

"_For years, I have watched this child grow. I have participated in this experiment._

_No more. I have learned all I needed to about the offspring Niklaus is capable of producing._

_I visited Lila and Victoria five years after the latter's birth to find that she had physically aged. I came again upon her twentieth birthday. She had aged into a woman. Of course she had. By now, she had accepted her hybrid nature and learned to live as what she was…an abomination._

_Ten years later upon her thirtieth birthday and saw she had not changed at all. And I made another discovery: The offspring will stop physically aging after twenty years._

_I found myself here again, fifteen years after Victoria's thirtieth birthday. It is now her fourty-fifth. This visit will be different though…_

…_I have learned all I needed to about Klaus' ability to reproduce. This girl Lila and her abomination daughter were no longer of use to me._

_Needless to say, I felt no remorse as I chained Lila down. I felt no sorrow as I forced Lila to watch as I killed Victoria…I forced mother to watch as I cut decapitated her daughter. But it did not stop there. I wanted to prolong Lila's pain. She chose to birth and raise this abomination, this sin against nature. _

_I grabbed large handfuls of vervain and shoved them down her throat. Forcing her to choke on the plant her and her kind found so toxic. For minutes, I watched her suffer, enjoying every second of it. She looked at me with pleading broken eyes and I had explained to her I only wanted to know what the child was capable of._

_And then I pierced her broken heart...and she never felt again.  
_

* * *

Klaus dropped the journal. He was shocked. For 700 years, his mother knew he had the ability to conceive within a vampire female.

But more than that, he had the answer he needed. That child. The one he saw at the Salvatore house…

That was his son!

Klaus rushed out of the house. He headed back to the Salvatores. Only one thought in his mind.

He needed to see Caroline!

* * *

Caroline got her baggage loaded onto the conveyer belt, which carried it out to her plane. Liam stirred in her arms, and then settled back down, remaining asleep. She smiled and kissed the child. She dug into her purse, making sure she had her tickets, and then went on her way.

She followed the signs to her gate, making sure to double check her ticket so she wouldn't get lost. She reached her gate, and sat down. The plane wouldn't be loading for another hour.

"Caroline!" A voice called. Caroline groaned knowing exactly who that voice belonged to. She stood up to see Tyler. She sent him a glare and a growl.

But as he approached her, Caroline felt a pair of hands, one on either of her cheeks. The twisted with an inhuman strength, and Caroline's head lurched to the side as she heard the sickening crack of her neck snapping.

She felt no pain. Everything went black before she could.

* * *

**Now Klaus knows that Liam is his son. We know how he is able to conceive. And that Caroline got attacked. What did you think? Review**

**REVIEW!**


	8. Rescue

**Disclaimer: I don't own **_**The Vampire Diaries**_**. No matter how bad I want to, it just seems like it ain't happening. But I do own this plot so yay!**

**P.S. I'm a review addict. So please review or I won't write. REVIEW!**

* * *

**The One Mistake I Don't Regret**

**8: Rescue**

Caroline woke up, feeling terribly uncomfortable. There was a terrible crick in her neck, and she felt nothing bust cold lumpy ground.

Her blue eyes opened only to see partial darknees. _What happened?_ _How did I get here?_ She asked herself. Then she remembered the airport. She saw Tyler, before feeling her neck getting snapped.

She gasped and sat up. Her neck was snapped. She looked around. In the partial darkness, she could see that she was underground. She was in what resembled a cell; at least she assumed so because there were bars in front of her.

She gasped, realizing she was abducted. Worse than that, where was Liam?

"Liam?" She called out, assuming the worse. She rose to her feet. "Liam?" she called again, slightly more frightened. She circled the cell and exhaled when she found him asleep in a makeshift crib. Her mother instinct took over and she grabbed her son, careful not to wake him, and hugged him close. She could handle getting hurt and attacked, but her son…that was unforgivable.

"I'm so sorry Care." A masculine voice Caroline knew all too well said. Caroline turned around to glare at the two people on the other side of her cell.

"Tyler!" She growled dangerously low. "What the fuck do you think you're doing!?"

"I'm sorry Caroline." He repeated again. "But we finally have a chance to kill Klaus, and I'm not taking any chances."

She sneered. "If twelve hybrids couldn't kill him, what makes you think one hybrid and a were-slut would?"

Hayley snarled and approached the bars, taunting Caroline. "You want to start something bitch?"

"Enough!" Tyler yelled. Both women stopped and looked at him. "To answer your question Caroline, we're going to use the one person in all of Mystic Falls that he actually cares about."

The realization hit her. She stepped back from the cell bars. "M-m-me!" She gasped.

Hayley nodded with a wicked smirk. "It also helps that you have his soon to be bastard son."

Caroline was at the bars again, hissing and snarling. "You heartless bitch! How dare you use my son! A defenseless infant!"

"Shut up!" Tyler shouted.

Caroline gasped. Tyler never talked like that. Needless to say, she fell silent.

Tyler pulled out his phone. He took a picture of the hostage Caroline and her son. "Now, I'll just send this to Klaus and he'll come to your rescue, and that's when we strike."

"Good luck..." Caroline glared, "not that you'll live long enough to need it."

Tyler only chuckled. "Who knows Caroline. Maybe luck will be on our side. And then, when Klaus is out of the way, we're going to make sure his bastard won't be able to avenge his father."

Caronline gasped as Tyler looked directly at Liam. Tyler only continued. "How could you be so stupid Caroline?"

"Excuse me!?" She exclaimed. "You cheat on me and I'm stupid."

"Yeah, if you're going to have an abomination as a son!" Tyler retorted.

Caroline only shook her head. "You better hope Klaus deals with you quickly."

"Why would we want that?" Hayley cut in.

"Because if you succeed and take down Klaus…I won't hesitate to kill you."

The look of shock and betrayal in Tyler's eyes satisfied Caroline. "I won't let you live after the threat you just made at my son!"

* * *

Klaus knocked on the door of the Salvatore house. The door was opened and answered by Damon.

"You know, Klaus, you have a tendency to show up where you're not wanted." Damon greeted.

"Where is Caroline?" Was all Klaus said.

"It's not any of your business." Damon defended.

"Do not toy with me Damon, I am in no mood!" Klaus growled.

"What are you gonna do?" The oldest Salvatore smirked. "I haven't invited you in."

"I know the infant is my child." Klaus revealed. Damon's eyes widened and his amused expression drop. "And I know Caroline is his mother. Now, you can either make me happy by telling me where I can find my son and his mother or you can continue to test me and face the consequences."

Damon was about to respond when Klaus' phone went off. Klaus gave off an aggravated sigh and reached for it. According to the device, he had a text from Tyler.

"That's odd." Klaus thought aloud.

"What?" Damon asked, slightly intrigued.

"I just got a text from Tyler. Why would he want to contact me?" Klaus asked as he opened the text. There, on his screen was a photo of Caroline. Klaus growled. She was in a dark room…in a cell and his son was there too.

Feeling his rage grow, Klaus scrolled down to read the message:

_I have her. She's alright. So is the baby. But if you want her, you'll have to come and get her. You'll find her at the Lockwood cellar. I know you know where it is._

Klaus felt his fangs extend. "That fool just signed his own death warrant." He growled.

"What?"

Klaus had forgotten Damon was there. Not wasting time, he gave the Salvatore his phone, so he could see the text Tyler sent him. He took off, running for the Lockwood cellar.

Caroline needed him.

* * *

Caroline glared at Tyler as he paced back and forth.

"Damn!" Tyler cursed. "Where is he? You'd think he would have been here by now."

Caroline heard it. A growling on the outside. Her advanced hearing picked up claws digging into wood, and she saw the cellar doors being ripped open and in jumped a very furious Klaus. His eyes were yellow and his fangs were out.

"Let her go!" He commanded, his voice laced with a demonic accent.

"Now!" Tyler shouted and both he and Hayley ran at Klaus. Klaus swung, his arm, pushing Tyler to the side with ease. He thrust his other arm outward at Hayley. His arm went straight through her. Her eyes widened as she looked down to see she had reached his shoulder. From the back, Caroline could see Klaus' blood-soaked arm holding Hayley's heart. It was too much for the Forbes woman and she turned away.

Klaus pulled his arm out of Hayley, and she fell over. He tossed her now worthless heart to the side and licked off his bloody hand. A howl sounded from behind him and Tyler tackled Klaus to the ground. Tyler pulled out a steak and raised it to deal Klaus a fatal blow, but the original hybrid was too fast; he swatted the steak out of Tyler's hand. The wooden weapon landed in Caroline's cell. The young woman put Liam back in the makeshift crib and picked up the stake.

Meanwhile, Klaus clawed Tyler across the face, making the younger hybrid howl in pain. Klaus pulled the distracted boy off of him and got back to his feet. Tyler got up and charged at him again, attempting to claw at him. Klaus grabbed him and threw him across the room. He landed against Caroline's cell.

He got up to his knees when Caroline reached through the bars and grabbed a handful of his black locks. She slammed his head back forcefully, hitting the bars.

She bent down low and whispered. "This is for threatening my son!" She stated and drove the steak through his heart. The tip of the wooden spear stuck out of his chest. Caroline let go of him, and he fell over. Caroline then broke off the lock and ran out to Klaus. He had come for her. Tyler said he would, and he did…that could only mean one thing:

Klaus truly did care for her.

Caroline went to meet him, when she suddenly began to feel lightheaded. She cursed herself.

She had been in Mystic Falls for nearly three days and hadn't yet fed. Plus, she had given some of her own blood to feed Liam. She thought about how foolish she was as she blacked out.

* * *

Klaus caught Caroline as she fell forward. He panicked. To have Caroline this close and have her black out like that. He checked her body. Tyler didn't seem to harm her. Her heart was beating steady, at a slower pace, but steady. She must not have fed is all. Klaus hoisted her over his shoulder and began to carry her when suddenly he heard a light coo.

Klaus laid Caroline against the wall and looked into her cell. He found a box which seemed to serve as a makeshift crib. He looked in and saw the baby. His son. His own grey eyes looked back at him. The baby, completely unaware of the situation giggled and cooed, kicking his feet.

For the first time in over a thousand years, Klaus' smiles was warm.

* * *

**What did you think? Review**

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	9. Reconciliation

**I want to apologize for the hiatus. I had relatives over for the holidays, so I didn't have time to write (doing family activities instead). You understand. You've all been there. Well I'm back, and based on how the last chapter ended, I would say we don't have much left (but I'm writing as I go, I don't it all mapped out).**

**Disclaimer: I don't own **_**The Vampire Diaries**_**. No matter how bad I want to, it just seems like it ain't happening. But I do own this plot so yay!**

**P.S. I'm a review addict. So please review or I won't write. REVIEW!**

* * *

**The One Mistake I Don't Regret**

**9: Reconciliation**

When Caroline awoke, her vision was blurred. She blinked several times to clear it up. She was in a bed. She could tell that by the soft padding on her back. Her vision cleared and she saw she was in an ornate decorated room. To her right, an IV drip was set up with a blood bag, allowing the crimson life to flow directly into her system.

'That explains why I'm not so thirsty.' She thought. Suddenly, panic struck her. "Liam!" She gasped. She sat up and looked around. No sign of her son. She felt tears well up. Liam was missing. She was a terrible mother.

The creak of the door pulled Caroline out of her panic. She looked to the entrance to see Klaus enter. In his arms, Liam was asleep, clutching his father's shirt.

Caroline exhaled, glad to see her son was safe.

"How long was I out?" Caroline asked.

"Only a few hours." Klaus answered. "You passed out in the Lockwood cellar."

Caroline nodded and shuddered, remembering everything that happened. "Can we not talk about that please?" She asked.

Klaus nodded. "Of course love."

Caroline held her arms out. "Can I please have my baby?" She asked whimpering. Klaus nodded and carefully transferred Liam into his mother's arms. At most, the infant twisted only slightly.

Caroline held her child. Her sense of panic leaving her. That is until Klaus spoke again.

"Why didn't I know I had a son?"

Caroline stopped. That tone. That chilling tone. That tone that always said shit is going to hit the fan.

She sighed, knowing this would have happened sooner or later. "I never wanted him exposed to your family."

"What's wrong with my family!?" He asked, glaring at the statement more than her.

"Nothing…." She defended. "But, I've seen you and your family, there's always one Mikaelson at war with another." She explained. "I didn't want to expose him to that kind of family, that sort of hate."

Klaus sat down beside her. "You make it sound like I am incapable of protecting from such things."

"Well…" Caroline mused, "you tend to hate first and question never."

"So the brave independent Caroline took the coward's way out and ran away!?" He growled out. Mad. Caroline was always sensible and faced consequences.

His words cut her worse than any blade ever could…and she would know from run-ins with various hunters.

"I was afraid okay!" She exclaimed. She couldn't stop the tears from falling. "I was terrified of how you would respond. Given your past, you always approach a situation with hostility. Did I want to risk the chance that you were hostile to my …our son? No!" She exhaled.

"But that's just it!" He retorted. "He is our son. I would not harm my own blood."

"Oh no." She scoffed. "You'd just dagger him with a white oak knife and lock him in a box for a couple centuries."

Klaus growled in anger. Not because it was true, but because the truth stung coming from her lips.

Caroline continued. "How was supposed to know you would care…when you've never showed emotions like that before?"

"You could have given me a chance love." He said.

She looked down. "At the time, when I found out I was pregnant, I kept thinking: does he deserve a chance?" She looked up at him. "You have to understand, I was not in the right state of mind. I panicked."

Liam opened his father's gray eyes and looked up at his mother. He yawned, rubbing his eyes.

"Hey wittle guy." She smiled, cooing at him. Liam cooed in return. Quickly, like a baby, his attention shifted to Klaus. He stared at his father with his big innocent eyes. The pure look made Klaus smile…only slightly. The smile got Liam to give a big smile and a giggle.

The look Liam gave his father came crashing down on Caroline. She saw it in her son's eyes. Klaus was now a part of his life. And no amount of fighting and running would stop him from staying.

"What do I do?" She asked herself aloud. "I made a life for myself in Maine. It's obvious you're not going to let me leave. But I have new friends, a business… a life in Maine."

Klaus sat there in silence, listening to Caronline. Yes, he wanted to be in his son's life, but would Caroline fight him? The trick to staying in his son's life would be through Caroline.

"Well I don't know how long you planned to stay in Mystic Falls love," he said, "so you can stay out the duration of your trip. When the time comes to leave…" the next words he said took an enormous amount of pain to say but he forced them out, "I'll let you."

Caroline gasped and looked at him. "Thank you." She was astonished.

Klaus nodded and moved slightly closer. "You know," he said, "I never learned what you named him." He tickled Liam's chin, making the infant giggle and kick his feet in happiness.

"It's Liam." She said. She watched Klaus play with him. She saw it in the gestures with her…his…their son.

Somehow, the original's heart of ice was melting.

* * *

**I ultimately ended up not liking this chapter as much as I thought I would. I know it's short, but I couldn't keep you waiting anymore.**

**What did you think? Review**

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	10. Choice

**A lot of you say my chapters are too short. I disagree. For me, a 1,000 word chapter is long.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own **_**The Vampire Diaries**_**. No matter how bad I want to, it just seems like it ain't happening. But I do own this plot so yay!**

**FINAL CHAPTER. I'm not proud of it. I suffered MAJOR writer's block and worked through. The result is not what it usually.  
**

**Thanks for sticking with me.  
**

**P.S. I'm a review addict. So please review or I won't write. REVIEW!**

* * *

**The One Mistake I Don't Regret**

**10: Choice**

Caroline spent the week at the Mikaelson house with Liam. Caroline saw surprisingly little of Klaus. When she questioned him, he merely said he'd like her decision to leave or stay be unaffected by him.

But Liam saw the rest of his family. His uncles Kol and Elijah and his aunt Rebekah (boy it sounded weird calling Rebekah Aunt). It seemed having a baby around changed the attitude of the Mikaelson family…except Kol…who remained Kol.

After the first few days, it became obvious that Liam's favorite was his aunt Rebekah. The thought that someone spawned by her could like Rebekah made her shudder…then again, half of Liam was Klaus.

Caroline decided she needed some girl time with Elena and Bonnie. Caroline explored the manor, only finding Rebekah and Matt all snuggled up on the couch.

"Uh…hey you two." Caroline greeted awkwardly, not wanting to interrupt their romantic moment. They looked away from each other , shifting their focus to Caroline. "I'm going out for a bit, can you two watch Liam?" She asked.

The Mikaelson daughter nodded and stood. "Of course." She gave the smile….the one where you didn't know whether it was a good thing or a bad thing. "I'll get to spend some quality time with my nephew." She leaned down and cooed to Liam. Liam gave his aunt that wide opened mouth smile and bounced in his mother's arms.

Caroline looked up. "Matt has my number in case anything goes wrong." She handed Liam over to his aunt. Caroline couldn't help but smile at Rebekah's affection for her child. She kissed Liam goodbye and stepped out the door. She pulled out her phone and dialed Elena's and Bonnie's numbers.

* * *

**(1 Hour Later)**

Caroline met Elena and Bonnie at the Mystic Grill. They greeted each other and sat down.

"So what's up?" Caroline asked.

"Well Stefan and I are planning on leaving again." Elena smiled. "This time we're going to explore Asia."

"That's great." Caroline smiled to her friend. "What about you Bonnie?" She asked turning to the young witch.

"Me and Jeremy are really enjoying living at the lake house." She said. "The isolation is doing amazing things to our sex life."

"TIME OUT!" Elena explained. "Bonnie, as much as I love you, I don't really want to know what my brother is like in bed."

Bonnie blushed and nodded. Elena turned to her. "What about you Caroline? "

"Well…I assume you know about Tyler." She growled the name out. Both Bonnie and Elena nodded. "Damon filled me in." Elena explained. "It's weird. I just… never expected that from Tyler."

Bonnie nodded. "Let me just say," the witch began, "I take away every bad thing I ever said about close."

"Really?" Elena asked. "Everything?" She asked.

"Well…not the unforgiveable things." Bonnie admitted.

Caroline shrugged. "I think I could." Elena and Bonnie shot her a "wtf" look. Caroline continued. "Ever since I first met him, I couldn't help but feel this…" she tried forming the words "gravitational pull to Klaus. Like the roots of attraction were always there. I don't know what it was, but at times it was subtle and at others it was much stronger."

"Somebody is in love." Bonnie sang.

Caroline blushed. "Hush." She ordered Bonnie embarrassed. "So what if he's a pompous bad boy with deep pools of gray for eyes…and surprisingly soft pink lips…and that rugged stubble on his face…"

"Caroline?" Elena called to her. "Caroline." She snapped in front of her face. "CAROLINE!"

Said blonde jumped and looked to her friends. "Yeah?" She asked panting from shock.

"You were drifting on us." Elena explained. "You started daydreaming."

Caroline nodded. She knew what about too. Klaus. It was amazing. She was starting to realize the effect he had on her. It was also this week. Klaus wasn't around much and his absence was tough on her.

Caroline decided to tell Elena and Caroline what was going on. How Klaus gave her an offer of returning to Maine or staying there and starting a life with him. Both girls looked wide-eyed and slack-jawed.

"I never thought I'd say this." Bonnie said. "But Klaus does have a heart."

"Ditto." Elena agreed.

"And now," Caroline continued, "the week is almost up. I still can't decide what to do. And Klaus refuses to come anywhere near me wanting my decision to be unaffected by his presence." She quoted.

Silence passed between the three of them. Bonnie and Elena exchanged looks. Elena finally spoke.

"Caroline, maybe you should talk to someone who actually knows Klaus." Bonnie suggested.

"You mean like Elijah?" Caroline asked.

"Or Kol or Rebekah." Elena put in.

The blonde sighed and shook her head. "I don't know. Maybe." She stood up. "I'm gonna get home." She declared. "You two are right. I'm gonna talk to Rebekah."

* * *

**(The Mikaelson House)**

Caroline walked back in the house. It was quiet. Unsettlingly quiet. Caroline roamed the seemingly empty halls when she came to the kitchen. On the fridge, a pink pace of paper caught her eye. Upon closer inspection, Caroline saw Rebekah's cursive script addressed to her:

"_Caroline,_

_Liam fell asleep playing. I put him in his crib for nap time. I'm upstairs if you need me, but please do me a favor: If Matt is here, don't need me._

_R."_

Caroline looked out the window and saw Matt's truck. She sighed. Looks like she was waiting. She went upstairs to check on Liam. Fast asleep in his crib. She smiled and cracked the door so she could listen from downstairs.

Thirty minutes later, Caroline watched Matt's truck pull away. She waited another 20 minutes for Rebekah to make herself decent (she could only assume what Matt and Rebekah were doing). Twenty minutes later, Caroline was in Rebekah's room.

"Can I talk to you?" Caroline asked the original daughter.

She shrugged. "Sure." She sat down on edge of the bed. "What's up?"

"It's about your brother." Caroline didn't hesitate.

"What exactly?" Rebekah looked up.

"I just…don't get him." Caroline concentrated on wording the sentence right. "I just want to talk to someone who really knows him."

"And you figured me or my brothers would be the best guess." Rebekah assumed.

"Exactly."

"What exactly do you want to know?" She asked. "Mind you, my knowledge of Nik is limited."

"How is that?"

"Over the centuries of existence, Nik has preferred to keep to himself."

Caroline nodded. "Sometimes, I just don't understand him. Any insight you have would be helpful."

"Well what do you find confusing?"

"Well, he made a deal with me. He gave me a week to decide if I wanted to go back to Maine or stay here and try to start a life with him."

"How is that confusing?" Rebkah asked raising one of her eyebrows.

"Well, he did something that was so…" a proper word didn't come to mind so she made one up, "un-Nik-like."

"What did he do?"

"He left. He said something like he didn't want to influence my choice."

Rebekah gasped. Caroline turned to her. "What?"

"Nik said that?" Rebekah asked.

"I'm paraphrasing, but yeah."

"You don't it." Rebekah said a hint of shock in her voice. "Nik always wants things to go his way. He's giving you complete freedom to make up your choice."

"What exactly does that mean?" Caroline asked, getting slightly impatient.

"He cares for you!"

Caroline gasped. "Are you sure?"

She nodded. "There are so many ways he could have gotten his way by now. And he chose not to. He chose to leave it completely up to chance. That can only mean he cares strongly enough for you that he desires your happiness!"

Caroline didn't hear anything else. She slowly walked out of Rebekah's room in a trance. She couldn't believe it.

There was a possibility that Klaus cared about her. A possibility that Klaus felt something. At that moment everything came out. She always buried her feelings about Klaus. Pretended they weren't there. She was free to let them out, explore them, see what they are. It was Wednesday.

She still had a few days but she made her decision.

* * *

**(Saturday evening)**

The last day of Caroline's stay had arrived. Klaus hadn't shown up all week. She hoped he would show up tonight.

It was already five o'clock Caroline had Liam in bed by seven thirty. She hoped Klaus would show up to play with his son before he had to go down.

Speak of the devil, the door opened and Klaus stepped through

Liam looked up from his toys and squealed at his father. Caroline couldn't help but smile. Liam had only known Klaus a few days, he had no idea Klaus was his father, and yet he reacted like he'd known him all his life. It made her choice much much easier.

The two and a half hours seemed to pass by as if seconds as Klaus and Caroline played with their son. He was so spent by the time he went down. He was asleep the minute he hit his pillow. Caroline smiled and gently closed the door before she went downstairs to Klaus.

"Have you made your choice love?" He asked being ever blunt.

She bit her lip. Yes she expected him to be curious. Hell, she knew he was blunt. Yet that took her by surprise.

She inhaled and exhaled, somehow gaining the courage she needed.

"Yes." She said.

"And?" Klaus stood. He did the best to hide, but he was really nervous. He wanted Caroline around him. He wanted her to pick him. Yet, he wouldn't be heartbroken if she chose Maine.

Caroline exhaled and walked to him. "I chose you."

Klaus's eyes widened. He did his best to stifle the gasp, but a breath of it got past his lips. "What?" He asked.

"I can't deny Liam his father." She said. "But also," it was time for him to know, "for the longest time, I had been feeling this attraction to you. I thought I couldn't pursue it because of Tyler." She looked into his gray eyes. "But I'm ready now. Klaus, I know I have feelings for you, and I want to pursue them."

Klaus hugged her to him. He wanted to kiss her, but as she said, she was unsure of her feelings.

And he would spend eternity with her and his son helping her find out.

* * *

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